A Good Cause

On Friday Rio Hondo College ended its Undocumented Student Week of Action with the first annual Undocurun. The Undocurun is a 5k walk/run that will start out of the LRC. It will then go around circle drive and end at the LRC. The 5k will also include the “Monarch Challenge” in which runners will run around the observatory and the “Super Monarch Challenge” in which they can try the course twice.

Purchasing a ticket for the Undocurun will include parking, a meal, and water. Luis Manriquez and his assistant Angel brought up the idea for the 5k. The two work for the Student Success and Dream Center. They both saw it as a great way to raise money and to bring the Rio Hondo campus together. “The event is for a great cause and it is going to bring our staff, faculty, and students together to celebrate as well as support our students on campus”, says Manriquez.

Donations

The main goals in the Undocurun are to raise money for scholarships, bring awareness, and to get people involved. Undocumented students make up a significant percentage of students at Rio Hondo College. All of them aspire to eventually attend universities and become successful. The Undocumented Student Week of Action is meant to bring more awareness to the hardships they face so that they can get the help they need. The money being donated throughout the week will go toward the efforts of helping undocumented students. All funds brought in from the generous donators and ticket sales are going towards DACA renewals and scholarships. Some of the money coming in will also be from local sponsors and donors. People who donate will have their company or brand name will be displayed on the Rio Hondo College Website. This is a way to thank them for their contributions.

Community Outreach

The involvement of a lot people brought the attention of the local media. Earlier in the week, Univision’s Los Angeles affiliate came to Rio Hondo College to cover the events going on for the Week of Action. They covered how Rio Hondo College is trying to ensure that students aren’t ashamed of problems such as a lack of payment and that they want a promising future for them. Administrators from Rio discussed President Trump’s efforts to eliminate action programs such as DACA and others. The Student Success and Dream Center want people to know that undocumented students should feel a sense of belonging. There are resources for these students and the staff cares about their well being. This has all been the mission of the Undocumented Student Week of Action.